Harvesting power unit



y 4, 1950 A. E. w. JOHNSON srm. 2,513,942

HARVESTING POWER UNIT Original Filed Feb. 9, 1944 ARA/ow 5 W Jam/30m DA v/a 5.5AKER AND CHARLfiS 1f" Cnqms, DECEASED, :Y flam/a K. CRUMB,ADMIN/S7RA7RIX,

Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE HARVESTING POWER UNIT Continuation of application Serial No. 521,706, February 9, 1944. This application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616.759

Claims. (Cl. 58-21) This invention relates to a tractor. More specifically, it relates to a tractor particularly adapted for carrying implements such as harvester-threshers and other harvesting equipment.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 521,706, filed February 9, 1944, which has become abandoned.

In recent years there has been an extensive development of farm equipment of the tractormounted'type of implementsthat is; where a general-purpose tractor is provided which may pull implements or on which implements may be directly mounted. This development has been greatest for implements of lighter weight and smaller size such as cultivators and plows. To some extent, larger and heavier implements have been mounted directly on the tractors.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved tractor construction so arranged that both space and weight-carrying capacity are provided for mounting large farm implements, such as harvester-threshers directly on the tractor.

Another object is to provide a tractor in which the power plant and operators station are arranged to give the operator proper vision when implements are mounted on the tractor for operation thereby.

These objects and other objects which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow are accomplished by a construction such as shown in the drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a-tractor embodying the invention with a harvester-Ttliresher mounted thereon; and

Figure' 2 is a perspective view showing the tractor alone.

As this invention resides in a general arrangement 'of parts, the drawings have been made both diagrammatic and perspective to better show the arrangement of the tractor parts which makes possible the provision of sufilcient space, both lengthwise and laterally, for mounting large machines'. The tractor consists essentially of a narrow, longitudinally-extending main frame or body III, at the rear of which a conventional power plant in the form of a longitudinally positioned gasoline engine I2 is mounted. A transverse rear axle structure It is mounted on the frame in an ofl'set relation; that is, the housing structure extends to one side of the frame structure a much greater distance than the housing structure at the other side. The long extension houses an extending drive axle ll, commonly retion wheel i8 is mounted at the short end of the axle structure. An operators station is provided at the front of the frame structure l0, an operators seat It and a steering wheel l'l being illustrated. It is to be understood that the essential controls for operating the tractor are to be provided adjacent the operators station. A bracket structure l8 extends from the frame l0 downwardly and laterally in the direction of the center line of the tractor. Said bracket structure is pivoted at i8 to the front axle structure which includes a tubular member l9 and a shaft 20 telescopically received by the tubular member. A steerable wheel 2| is mounted on the frame end of the member I 9 in alinement with the traction wheel It. A steerable wheel 22 is mounted on the shaft 20. A bolt 23 holds the shaft and the tubular member against endwise movement and provides for adjustment by means of holes 24 formed in the shaft 20 and holes 25 provided in the member it. By means of this adjustment and sliding of the rear traction wheel IS on the live axle H, the tread of the tractor may be varied.

As illustrative of means for securing the implements, brackets 26 and 21 have been shown, respectively, on the shaft 20 and the member I9. Said brackets have upwardly-extending apertured portions 28 to which similar attaching elements on the implement to be mounted may be secured. An attaching member 29 is shown on the rear axle formed with a ball attaching element which provides a universal connection for an implement on the rear axle structure. These three points provide mounting means which will permit pivoting movement of the front axle structure without twisting the frame structure of the implement mounted on the tractor.

To provide necessary strength in the front axle structure due. to its unusual length at one side of the pivoting point on the frame, a brace I9 is provided. Said brace is connected to the outer end of the axle structure member is and extends to the rear axle structure to which it is pivoted at l3 on the same axis as the pivoting axis of the axle structure. This type of brace gives the axle rigidity without interfering with the tread adjustment.

The power plant i2 and the power transmission means are not illustrated and may be of any conventional type. As a part of the construction, a power take-oil shaft 30 is illustrated as projecting laterally from a housing 3| through which power is transmitted from the tractor engine. This shai't is an ideal location for receivferr'edto as a live axle, on which a traction wheel ins power for driving implements mounted on It is mounted for lateral adjustment. The tracthe tractor which require a source of power. It

is to be understood that a tractor as illustrated inFigureZlsadaptedtocarryanytype ofimplements, agricultural or other type, which may be suitably mounted in the space provided between the tractor body as formed by the frame and power plant, and the wheels at the opposite side of the tractor. The seat It is so located ahead of the power plant and adjacent the front of the tractor that an operator thereon is at an elevation sufficient to have a clear view not only at the forward end of the tractor but also between and behind the rear wheels. A harvester-thresher has been illustrated to show one large heavy machine which can be suitably mounted with the operator of the tractor being properly located for vision a full and unobstructed view to observe the action of the working parts of the harvesterthresher, particularly the cutting and pick-up mechanism which are located across the front of the tractor.

The harvester-thresher can be briefly described as including a crop treating thresher part 32 and a crop gathering harvester part 33. Said harvester. part is located transversely of the tractor forwardly thereof, thereby providing a straight-through machine which may be operated in a field of grain without running over any uncut grain.

Other machines of various types may be mounted on the tractor, and any such mounting falling within the appended claims is contemplated as a part of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1-. A tractor adapted for supporting implements comprising an extensible rear axle structure, a narrow frame extending forwardly from said structure adjacent one end thereof, a power plant and an operators station on said frame, a front axle structure having a portion pivoted to the frame on a longitudinal axis adjacent one end of the axle structure, said axle structure including two relatively shiftable members, one mem- .ber carrying the portion pivoted on the frame and carrying one of. the front wheels, the other member extending laterally and carrying the other front wheel, and bracing means extending from the outer end of the member pivoted on the frame and to the rear axle structure, said bracing means being pivotally connected to the rear axle structure on the same longitudinal axis as the pivot axis of the front axle structure on the frame.

2. A tractor adapted for supporting agricultural machines comprising a wide tread rear axle structure, a wide tread front axle structure, a power plant mounted adjacent one end of the rear axle structure, a frame extending forwardly from said power plant, said frame being connected on a longitudinal pivot axis to a portion of the forward axle structure, adjacent one end thereof, an operator's station at the forward end of said frame ahead of the power plant, and a brace member extending from a point on the front axle structure, spaced from its pivot axis on the frame, to the rear axle structure, said member being pivoted to the rear axle structure on the same longitudinal axis as the pivot of the front axle structure on the frame, said power plant, frame and operator's station being mounted laterally of the center line of the vehicle whereby a space of substantial width is available the entire length of the tractor for the attachment of agricultural machines.

3. A self-propelled machine comprising a structure, a power plant mounted adjacent one end of the rear axle structure and occupying a portion of one side of the tractor and a side frame extending forwardly from said power plant, said frame being pivotally connected to the front axle structure, and an implement structure mounted on the front and rear axle structures and occupying the space between the power plant and the wheels at the other side of the r tractor, said implement structure having a crop gathering part extending laterally across the tractor ahead of the front axle structure, and an operator's station ahead of the power plant and adjacent the front of the tractor above the crop gathering part whereby an operator seated thereon has full and unobstructed view of the crop gathering part during operation of the machine.

4. A self-propelled machine comprising a tractor having a rear axle structure, a front axle structure, a power plant mounted adjacent one end of the rear axle structure and a frame extending forwardly from said power plant, said frame being pivotally connected to the front axle structure, an implement structure removably mounted on the front and rear axle structures and occupying a portion of the space between the power plant and the wheels at the side of the tractor opposite the frame, and an operator's station located at the forward end of the tractor frame ahead of the power plant.

5. A self-propelled machine comprising a tractor having a rear axle structure, a front axle structure, a side frame extending forwardly from said rear axle structure at one side of the tractor, a power plant on said frame, said frame being pivotally connected to the front axle structure, an implement structure mounted on the front and rear axle structures and occupying the space between the frame and the wheels at the opposite side of the tractor, said implement structure having a crop gathering part extending laterally across the tractor ahead of the front axle structure, and an operator's station ahead of the power plant and adjacent the front of the tractor above the crop gathering part whereby an operator seated thereon has full and unobstructed view of the crop gathering part during operation of the machine.

ARNOLD E. W. JOHNSON. DAVID B. BAKER. HELMA KATHERINE CRUMB, Administratria: of the Estate of Charles F. Crumb,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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